


Heart

by SilverInk



Series: In Which I Fix Morse's Love Life [2]
Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e04 Harvest, F/M, Fix-It, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-21 00:42:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9523760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverInk/pseuds/SilverInk
Summary: What would have happened if Morse had told Joan how he felt about her. A small post-HARVEST fix-it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always writing fix-it's, it seems...
> 
> Originally posted on my tumblr @awkwardmorse !

"Marry me!"

It just slips out. Morse can't help it. He's always been so restrained with her, a perfect gentleman, but now he just can't contain it anymore. He loves her so much, and it's killing him not to tell her, to tell anyone. 

He regrets it the instant the words are out of his mouth of course, but he can't take them back. They hang in the air between them for a long time before either of them says anything. 

"Marry you? Morse, I don't want your pity."

"I—I don't pity you. Miss Thursday—" His voice breaks and he pauses, swallows around the sudden lump in his throat, but goes on. He has to say this. It's an enormous, potentially very painful risk, but he has to tell her how he really feels. _"Joan_... I'm asking because I'm in love with you. Not because I pity you. I could never pity someone like you." It all comes out in a kind of desperate rush, but he's said it. He leaves the words there, waiting for her answer, terrified at the possibility that she'll reject him and laugh in his face.

But she does nothing of the kind. She's looking at the ground, her dark hair completely hiding her face. When she finally looks up and meets his eyes, hers are full of unshed tears.

"Do you mean that, Morse? Do you really love me?” Her voice is a breathless whisper, and he can do nothing but give her an earnest nod. When he finds his voice again he says,

"Yes. Yes! I have for a long time. Longer than I'd realised."

She gives him a small smile. "Then...I'll consider your proposal. Because I've loved you for a long time too." She lets out a choked laugh and wipes away the tears that have now trailed down her face. "I thought I was over you by now, but the whole time I was in Leamington, I couldn't stop thinking about you."

Morse feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his chest, making him dizzy and a little breathless. He makes a small sobbing sound, and then she's in front of him, wrapping her arms around him, and they just stand there holding each other for several long moments.


End file.
